PH lifts travel ban on 10 high-risk countries starting Sept. 6

The Malacañang Palace announced in a statement on Saturday, September 4, that current travel restrictions in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia will be lifted starting September 6, 2021, Monday.

According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the recommendation given by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to lift the travel ban on the mentioned countries. 

For months, the 10 nations have been listed as high-risk due to the quick surge of the coronavirus disease, and travelers coming from the countries were banned from entering the Philippines.

The spokesperson also announced that the IATF approve the implementation of the new listings, Yellow and Red classifications, in addition to the Green list of nations, territories, and jurisdictions.

The new listing is based on COVID incidence rates and case counts as primary criteria, while testing data comes as secondary criteria.

The IATF Yellow list is classified as moderate risk, while countries under the Red list are classified as high risk.

Travelers entering the country coming from the countries under both lists are subject to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival - the first 10 days to be completed in a quarantine facility.

Regardless of their vaccination status, they are required to undergo reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing on the seventh day, with the day of their arrival counted as day 1.